


Don't Dream It's Over

by jencsi



Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-25
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-23 04:28:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6104914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jencsi/pseuds/jencsi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part 2 to "For Jules". Set right after she awakens from the coma. What does she remember? Who will help her recover? Will she ever feel safe again?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Dream It's Over

Chapter 1 

 

“What happened?” Julie asked, her eyes darting wildly around the room and out into the hallway “why am I here?” 

“You were- Russell started to say but the nurse cut him off and said “Tell us what you remember”

Julie racked her brain and instantly images flashed before her: her condo, reading case files on the couch, talking on the phone, then the sound of glass breaking, her hair being pulled from behind, cold lifeless eyes staring at her and then unbearable shooting pain….

A loud voice over the hospital PA system made Julie jump and come back to reality. 

“Paul,” she said trembling “Paul Winthrop, he was in my condo, you have to stop him!”

The heart monitor started to beep rapidly and the nurse looked at Russell to confirm the story.

“Jules listen,” he said “it’s o.k. we got Winthrop, he can’t hurt you anymore.”

“My condo,” she continued, panic rising in her voice, her heart racing “I have to get out of here, I need to go home.”

She pulled back the covers and tried to get out of bed. 

“Whoa! Slow down slugger.” Russell said sitting forward to block her from getting out of the bed. 

“What did you just call me?” Julie asked.

“Slugger,” Russell said “I used to call my kids that whenever they pushed themselves too far at sports; you need to slow down and relax.”

“He’s right,” the nurse said “you’re not going anywhere until a doctor says so, I’ll go get her and we’ll discuss therapy options, will you be o.k with her?”

She addressed Russell now.

“Yeah, we’re good,” he said knowing he could handle whatever Julie did. 

The nurse left. Russell gave Julie a look that clearly indicated he was not going to let her leave. She sighed in frustration and flung the covers back over her. 

“How do you feel?” Russell asked her.

“I don’t know,” she said rubbing her eyes “really weird.”

“Are you in pain?” he asked.

“No,” she said “yes, maybe, I don’t know.”

He didn’t want to upset her so he fell silent watching her look around the room with a mixture of confusion and fear. 

“Look,” he said “ I know this must be terrifying Jules, but I’m here to help you, so are the doctors and nurses, I’ll answer any questions you have, I’ll get you whatever you need from work, home, anything.”

She looked at him, feeling oddly vulnerable. She pulled the covers up to her chin now and uttered the first thing she could think of. 

“How long?” 

 

Chapter 2 

 

“How long what?” Russell asked her. 

“Have I been here?” Julie asked stunned by his ignorance.

“Not long,” he said wanting to spare her from the truth.

“D.B-“she pressed wanting answers. 

“About a month,” he said sadly. 

She sighed, a lot happens in a month. How much had she missed? 

“Where’s Winthrop?” she asked now.

“In custody,” Russell said “prison hospital.”

“Hospital?” Julie questioned “what did you do to him?”

“He hurt you.” Russell said as if that was reason enough to send Winthrop to the hospital “he wouldn’t tell us where you were.”

“Where was I?” Julie asked.

“In the trunk of his car.” Russell said somberly recalling the moment he first saw Julie, lying on the ground of the parking garage, covered in blood, while Greg desperately tried to revive her “Greg and Morgan found you.”

“Oh God” Julie cried thinking of how awful that must have looked and how she had no memory of it. 

She closed her eyes but felt dizzy so she opened them. Russell was watching her with concern. 

“We don’t have to talk about this now,” he said. “it’s too much, too soon.”

“I need to know what he did to me,” she insisted. Typical stubborn Julie. 

“He staged your condo to look like the other scenes,” Russell said “he planted your blood, hung the strings, and told me you were dead.”

He paused because it hurt too much to think of that moment when he thought he lost her forever.   
Now it was Julie’s turn to watch him with concern. But before she could reply, a doctor had come in with the nurse.

“Ms. Finlay,” the doctor said “I’m Dr. King, how are you feeling?”

“Better,” she said truthfully “when can I go home?”

“Not for a while,” Dr. King said “we need to run some neurological tests, make sure there’s no brain damage, and get you in some physical therapy.”

“I’m fine,” Julie insisted “really, I just want to go home.”

“Jules,” Russell said gently “let them help you.”

Julie looked from the doctor to the nurse to Russell feeling vulnerable again. But she knew if she didn’t cooperate they would never let her go. 

“Fine,” she snapped viciously, trying to mask her fear with anger. 

The doctor went to order the tests while the nurse tended to Julie. Russell continued to sit on the edge of the bed. 

“You’ll have to leave when we take her for the MRI,” the nurse told him “and the neurological test.”

“Sure,” Russell said abandoning the bed now “uh- I’ll be around, if you need me, come find me.”

He started to leave but stopped to double back and whisper to the nurse “Don’t let her near any power tools.” 

 

Chapter 3 

If being in a coma was rough, coming out of a coma was equally as rough. Julie spent the entire afternoon being examined by the doctor, getting MRI’s and doing ridiculous mental tests.   
She spent a good two hours giving Dr. King a detailed run down of her entire life from childhood in Seattle, college, working for Russell, losing her job, getting re-hired by Russell in Vegas, sitting on a bomb last fall, and finally chasing the Gig Harbor Killer.   
Dr. King had all the files and every answer Julie provided earned her a check on the clipboard. When it was over Dr. King smiled and said “Well done, you don’t seem to have any neurological damage, you recalled everything in your files, this is great news.”

“So can I leave now?” Julie asked feeling exhausted physically and mentally. 

“Not yet,” Dr. King said “I want you to stay over night for observation.”

Julie sighed frustrated.

“I know this is tough,” Dr. King said sympathetically “but I want to be sure you’re o.k. you suffered a serious head injury and those are not to be taken lightly. I’ll be damned if I let you leave here and something bad happens.”

It was a harsh but effective way to get her patient to listen. 

“Thanks,” Julie said meekly “for everything.”

“Get some rest,” Dr. King encouraged her; “the nurses will be by with dinner soon.”

She left Julie alone now but not for long. Russell, who had been hovering around the ward all day long, peeked around the corner into her room as if asking permission to enter. 

“They’re done,” Julie said “you can come in now.” 

“How did it go?” Russell asked her.

“I passed with flying colors,” Julie said sarcastically. 

“That’s good,” Russell said “so what’s next?”

“I have to stay in this God awful place,” Julie said crossing her arms in defeat. 

“It’s precautionary Jules,” Russell reminded her just like Dr. King had. “You should get some sleep, you must be exhausted.”

“I am,” she admitted but continued to stay sitting up in bed. There was something nagging at her, a deep fear but who could she tell? She looked at Russell who, after years of working with her, could sense when she was teetering on the edge of telling him something. 

“I’ll wait outside if you want to try and sleep,” Russell said figuring she just wanted privacy. 

When he turned to leave, however, he heard her say in almost a whisper “What if I don’t wake up?”

He turned back to her and saw the tears in her eyes. This wasn’t about privacy. He doubled back and sat in the chair he had occupied for weeks. 

“You will,” he said reassuringly. 

“How do you know for sure?” she asked “what if I go to sleep and get stuck in a coma again?” 

“That can’t happen,” Russell said. 

“You don’t know that,” she challenged him. 

“O.K,” he said “you’re right, I don’t know that for sure, but what I do know is that you beat the odds Jules, you came back to us because you’re strong, you’re a fighter, that’s all I kept telling the doctors and nurses for weeks, they believe in you and so do I.” 

She knew he was right but that didn’t stop the fear from rising in her chest again. But she was exhausted. Her eyes felt heavy and the urge to close them grew stronger. It was foolish to fight this, her mind needed to rest. She turned on her side, facing Russell and said in the tiniest whisper “Stay.” 

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said watching with relief, her eyes close at last. 

 

Chapter 4 

 

Russell stayed with Julie while she slept, the same fear going through his mind; what if she did slip into the coma again? But as he watched her sleep he knew that was not a possibility. There was a big difference between Julie in a coma versus Julie asleep; that difference being the way she moved restlessly in the bed. She pulled at the blankets, and then kicked them away a few minutes later. She moved from laying on her right side to her left, even letting her arm hang off the edge of the bed. He tried not to laugh at her movements but he couldn’t help it. His joy at watching her was short lived when the nurse shooed him away when visiting hours ended for the day.  
Julie slept through the entire night, waking the next morning to bright sunshine spilling into her room and an energetic feeling flowing through her. The nurse brought her breakfast, checked her vitals then said “You have some visitors.”   
She motioned for them to come in and Julie’s eyes filled with tears at the sight of Sara and Morgan stepping into the room. 

“Long time no see,” Sara joked while Morgan smiled meekly. 

“More like an eternity,” Julie said motioning for them to sit with her. 

Sara took the chair by the bed and handed Julie a bag of clean clothes and her cell phone from home. 

“Thank you,” Julie sighed relieved scrabbling out of bed and hobbling on shaky legs to the bathroom to change. 

When she came back, she settled back in bed much more comfortable now and began checking her phone. There were over two hundred missed emails, calls and texts. She sighed and put the phone down not wanting to deal with all of that right now. 

“So how do you feel?” Sara asked.

“Better,” Julie said “ready to go home, if these people would ever let me leave.”

“They will,” Sara assured her. 

“Well the sooner the better,” Julie said “I have so much to do, cases to finish, Winthrop’s ass to kick.”

“Uh that’s not gonna happen,” Sara said “we’re handling your cases and you know Russell’s not gonna let you near Winthrop.”

“Oh I’ll find a way,” Julie said determined.

Morgan let out a cross between a cry and a whimper at those words. Julie looked at her and saw tears in her eyes, and that she was hovering by the bed rather than sitting down.

“What’s with her?” Julie asked Sara. 

“She’s been taking all this really hard,” Sara said sadly of Morgan’s distant emotional state the last month. 

Julie remembered Russell telling her that Greg and Morgan had found her in the trunk of that car and imagined how scary that must have been for her friends. 

“Morgan,” Julie said gently “I’m o.k. now; I promise I won’t do anything to Winthrop.”

“You don’t have to say that just to cheer me up,” Morgan said “I know you want to hurt him, I do too, it’s just, I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

She hung her head to hide her tears but they wouldn’t stop falling. It occurred to Julie just how difficult this was on everyone and that they really did care about her. She slipped out of the bed and went to Morgan, embracing her and letting her cry out the last month’s worth of emotions she had been clinging too. When Morgan finished crying she looked at Julie and said very sternly “Don’t scare us like that again o.k.?” 

“I’ll try,” Julie said truthfully realizing how many close calls she had had with death in her three short years with LVPD. 

Morgan nodded in understanding wiping away her tears. 

“Hey now,” Julie said “we have another girls weekend to plan don’t we?” 

Morgan smiled as Julie climbed back into bed and motioned for Morgan to sit with her. She sat cross legged on the edge of the bed while Sara scooted her chair closer and Julie used her phone to Google spa resorts. 

 

Chapter 5

Julie sat on the edge of the bed she had occupied for exactly one month and four days, arms folded, leg crossed tapping her foot impatiently. Next to her was a duffle bag of all the belongings she had accumulated during her time at the hospital. She kept glancing out the door looking for the nurse who was bringing her discharge papers and taking her sweet time. 

“I hate this place,” Julie lashed out after waiting for what felt like hours. 

“Relax Jules,” Russell said from the chair while skimming through a magazine. “You were here for a month, a few more minutes won’t kill you.”

“You don’t know that,” Julie said impatiently glancing out the door again “come on lady hurry up!” 

As if she magically heard her impatient patient, the nurse returned clutching the discharge papers and to Julies horror, pushing a wheelchair. 

“Oh you have got to be kidding me;” she scoffed “there is no way in hell I’m getting in that thing!”

“Hospital policy,” the nurse said growing somewhat tired of her stubborn patient “it’s just until you get to the lobby, now just sign these and you can be on your way.”

The nurse had learned not to back down when it came to Julie Finlay so she stood tall in front of her with the papers and a pen. 

Julie snatched the papers, signed them with one swift motion and handed them back. 

“All right,” the nurse said “you’re free to go.”

“Thank you warden,” Julie said hopping out of the bed and swinging the duffle bag over her shoulder. She bypassed the wheelchair hoping no one would notice but both Russell and the nurse stopped her. 

“Sit,” the nurse ordered. 

Left with no choice, Julie sat in the wheelchair and Russell came up behind her to push her.

“Jules, what do we say to the nice nurse who took care of you for a month?” he said to her as if she were a child. 

“Thank you,” Julie said trying to hold back the sarcasm in her voice because she was grateful for all they had done for her. 

“You’re welcome,” the nurse said “and I don’t want to see you back here again for a long time.”

Julie appreciated the sentiment but didn’t know what else to say. She nodded at Russell to start pushing her and he did. 

“So m’lady” Russell teased her as they proceeded down the hallway “shall we retire to the garden for some tea?” 

“You are enjoying this way to much aren’t you?” she asked him looking back to confirm the smile on his face.

“A little bit, yeah,” he admitted.

She felt her face turn red with embarrassment. 

“Tell me about the case,” she demanded now “did Winthrop give a reason for beating me up?”

“I can’t discuss that,” Russell said.

“Bull,” she said “you know something, now tell me.”

But they had reached the lobby and the circular driveway where his car was parked. He helped her get in, returned the wheelchair to the nurse’s station and got into the car. Now she had him cornered. 

“Come on D.B.” she said “I spent a month unconscious, I deserve to know why.”

He couldn’t argue with that logic so he said “Winthrop was killing those women because he was angry at his mother for abandoning him and Jared as babies.” Except she didn’t, she’s still alive, that convent you and Shaw investigated, she never left.”

“Well did you talk to her?” Julie asked.

“No,” Russell said “she’s MIA, no one’s seen or heard from her since right before Paul attacked you.”

“So that’s it?” Julie asked “we’re stuck?” 

“For now,” Russell said. 

“That’s not good enough,” Julie said “I’m gonna find her, take me to the lab so I can review the case files”

“No,” Russell said “you are going home to relax.”

“I’ve had a month to relax,” Julie said “I need to find enough evidence to make sure Winthrop dies in prison.”

“After what he did to you and those other women he’s not going anywhere,” Russell said as they pulled up to her condo. 

They walked to her condo in silence, theories formulating in Julie’s mind of where Paul’s mother might be and how much did she know about her twisted children. When they reached the door to her condo however, all thoughts of the case vanished from her mind as memories of the last time she was here came flooding back. Russell used her key to open the door for her and step inside while she remained rooted to the spot just outside the landing. A first glance inside showed her a clean condo, no indications anything violent had happened her except the images in her head of a pile of notes scattering to the floor and cold lifeless eyes staring at her. 

“You coming in?” Russell asked her. 

“Just give me a minute,” she said feeling as if she were drowning. 

Russell watched her eyes dart around the room and he realized what was bothering her. 

“You’re safe here,” he assured her “after Sara and Morgan processed and cleaned up, we had the landlord install more security cameras and an alarm around the whole place, no one’s getting in here without detection.” 

She was being silly, this was her home, and she had to go in. She took one step over the landing, then another, finally she was completely in the hallway. She closed the door slowly and let out the breath she had been holding in. 

Russell came over to her and said with confidence “Don’t let him win Jules.” 

 

Chapter 6

So now what? The question nagged at Julie as she stood with Russell in her condo, glancing around at the clean floors, and organized kitchen. Sara and Morgan had done a great job. But was it enough to scrub clean all the memories of the violence that had occurred here? 

“Are you hungry?” Russell asked her “I can cook you something or order take out.” 

“I’m good,” Julie said.

“Do you want to try and sleep some more?” he asked “I can stay and work on some case files if you want me to.” 

“I’m not tired,” she insisted “and I really appreciate it, but I’d just like to be alone now.”

“Are you sure?” Russell asked her “don’t just say that cause you want to get rid of me.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said “I’ll call you if I need anything.”

Russell knew better than to push her so he respected her wishes and left her alone.

With the condo to herself again, Julie unpacked her bag from the hospital, took a hot shower to scrub all the hospital smell off of her, then settled in front of her laptop in the living room, exactly how she had been a month ago before Winthrop decided to take away her sense of security. She opened the files she had on him and the entire Gig Harbor case from Seattle to Vegas. She read over them until her eyes blurred but found nothing new that would lead them to the twin’s mother. She then tried to access the more recent files Russell had but her password and clearance were denied. 

“Damn it D.B,” she muttered under her breath “what don’t you want me to see?”

She tried all sorts of hacking to try and bypass the system but nothing worked. She had the urge to throw her laptop at something or someone in frustration when a knock at her door sent her flying out of her seat and reaching for her gun. 

It couldn’t have been Russell, he just left and he would call or text first considering what she just went through. Maybe it was Sara or Morgan? No they would call or text too. Her heart was hammering in her chest as she crept over to the door, gun drawn, to peer out the spy hole. Who she saw on the other side made her heart race even faster.   
She yanked open the door, holstered her gun at her side and said “Hi” in an apologetic tone. 

“Hi love,” John said “I’m so sorry to just show up but I went to visit you at the hospital and they said you had been released.”  
“Technically they can’t tell you that,” Julie said feeling stupid “doctor patient confidentiality.” 

“Well they took pity on a poor soul wandering the hallways in search of his friend,” John said and she smiled picturing him lost in the hospital looking for her.

“Well in that case,” she said holding the door open so he could come inside. 

She shut it and locked it, being sure it was double locked before turning to face John.

“You know, it’s quite rude not to tell someone you’ve woke up from a coma,” he teased her. 

“Shut up,” she said taking two steps, pulling him to her and kissing him. 

He broke away after only a minute, much to her disappointment. But he wanted to see her, to actually look at her properly, to see the face he thought he had lost forever, those blue eyes pierce him with a paralyzing stare, to see that smile that melted his heart. 

“You scared me,” he admitted brushing strands of her hair gently “I thought I would never see you again.” 

“I’m sorry,” she said “I couldn’t help it, coma’s suck.” 

“Well you’re here now, you’re alive, that’s what matters,” John said “did Russell tell you I came to visit you?” 

“I heard you,” she said excitedly remembering his voice off in the distance while she was still lost in her own mind “I knew you were there I just couldn’t do anything to tell you, I’m sorry.”

She hung her head feeling guilty for the whole situation. 

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” John reminded her “it’s that monster Winthrop who has to pay.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to do,” she said taking his hand and leading him over to the couch and her laptop where she showed him all the case files and cursed her blocked access to the rest of the files. 

“He must have a reason for keeping those files locked,” John said.

“Yeah to piss me off,” Julie snapped. 

“Or maybe he wants to protect you,” John suggested “Winthrop is a terrible person; there are some things that are better kept private.”  
“That’s a bunch of bull,” Julie said “I don’t need protecting, I can handle myself.”

“I know you can,” John said “but imagine our position, seeing you hurt, not knowing whether you would ever wake up, and now you’ve only been back a few days and you’re already on the war path, forgive us, love, if we just want you to stay safe for more than five minutes.” 

“We?” Julie asked to be sure she heard him correctly. 

“Yes love,” John said “I’ve told you how I feel about you, haven’t I?”

He felt self conscious that maybe something had gotten lost in translation. 

“I know,” she said “we just decided that our jobs come first.” 

But that didn’t sit well with her. John had clearly sacrificed time from work to visit her in the hospital and again today. And he had certainly seemed concerned with her hunt for clues in Winthrop’s case. Plus the way he called her “love” made her heart ache. 

“Maybe they don’t have to come first,” he said feeling hopeful “maybe that’s why this happened, so we could see what’s really important.” 

“Maybe,” she agreed, her anger at Winthrop settling and a desire to stay here with John rising instead. 

Out of all the relationships she had since transferring to Vegas, only John Merchiston had made her feel truly happy. 

“I can’t make any promises right now,” she said honestly “but maybe we can take things slow and start over?”

“Whatever you want,” John said reaching for her hands to hold “I’m just so glad you’re o.k.” 

 

Chapter 7

 

Desperate times called for desperate measures. If Russell was going to hide case files from her online there was only one way to read them, in person. 

“This is a bad idea,” John said as he parked his car outside the crime lab.

“Just wait here,” Julie instructed him “I’ll be right out with the files.”

She jumped out of the car but strolled casually up to the building not wanting to draw attention to herself. She wore sunglasses and kept her head down. She slipped inside the building, glancing around to be sure no one she knew was nearby. She continued to walk, eyes focused on the ground, to Russell’s office. She peeked slowly around the corner and was delighted to find it open and empty. She dove inside stealthily and took off her sunglasses to see the room better.   
His desk was well organized as she began rummaging through it, tossing aside other unimportant documents to get to her goal. She thumbed through each alphabetized case file until she found it, Gig Harbor Killer, handwritten by Russell. 

“Ha!” she cried triumphantly ripping open the file and reading it quickly. She skipped over all the details she already knew, searching instead for whatever it was Russell was trying to hide from her. She was so immersed in the files but could hardly read his miniscule handwriting. 

“God could you write any smaller?” Julie lashed out. 

“Maybe this will help,” Russell said handing her a magnifying glass.

“Thanks,” she said bluntly taking it from him and then she realized he was right in front of her. 

She jumped, scattering the case file all over the floor. 

“Hey,” she said feeling her face go red.

“Hey,” he said casually “what are you doing?”

“Nothing,” she said trying not to look guilty of raiding his office. 

“So the Gig Harbor Killer case file just magically launched itself into your hands and onto the floor?” Russell challenged her, enjoying the fact that he busted her. 

“Oh that?” she asked looking at the files on the floor as if she had no idea what they were “that was there when I got here.”

“Oh cut the crap Jules,” Russell said “you were stealing files; you broke into my office to steal department property.”

“Only because you wouldn’t let me see them!” Julie said standing up tall now on the defense. “You locked me out of the system!” 

“I had to,” Russell said “you shouldn’t be working this case so soon after what happened.”

“I need to,” she insisted “it’s killing me not knowing what happened.”

“I told you what happened,” Russell said.

“You’re hiding something,” Julie said “something else happened that day and I want to know what it is!”

“Nothing else happened that day,” Russell said “I swear Jules.”

She thought it over and realized, “It was something that happened after I was in the hospital wasn’t it?”

Russell’s silence confirmed her theory. 

“Tell me now,” she demanded “I’ve already lost a month, please don’t keep me in the dark any longer.”

She was looking at him with desperate eyes. But he couldn’t bring himself to tell her what he knew. That would scare her and he didn’t want her to live in fear. But not telling her was an insult to their friendship so he gave in.

“After you woke up,” he said “Winthrop reached out from prison, I don’t know how he knew because I didn’t say anything but he knows you survived and he wants to meet with you.”

 

At first Julie thought “So what?” she had dealt with Winthrop and Jared Briscoe before, and even worse serial killers in her career. But then, she thought of talking to him in prison and an icy chill pierced her heart and made her shiver. 

“O.K,” she said “so let’s go talk to him,” 

“You can’t be serious,” Russell said stunned “he attacked you, he tried to kill you, he wanted me to think you were dead, he left you in a coma, not to mention all the other people he killed and dragged into his sick twisted game.” 

“What if he wants to talk to me to tell me something about the case?” Julie asked “it’s worth a shot to see what else he knows.”

“So you want to risk your safety to talk to this creep?” Russell asked incredulously. 

“He’s in prison D.B,” Julie reminded him “he can’t hurt me.”

“Physically no,” Russell said “but emotionally- 

He paused remembering how frail she looked in the hospital, how she begged him to stay with her, how she looked at him with terrified eyes when he told her how long she had been there. 

“No way,” Russell declared “there is no way you’re going to see him.”

There was no way his word was final. Not in Julie’s mind. She would fight this and she had a plan. Russell escorted her out of his office and locked the door. He lead her back to the car where John was waiting, giving him a disapproving look for helping her get to the lab to do what she did. 

“Take her home,” he ordered “don’t let her near this place or anything case related until I say so.”

“What happened?” John asked “did you read the files?”

“No,” Julie said “but he (she nodded at Russell) finally told me what happened, Winthrop reached out from prison, he wants to talk to me, somehow he knows I survived.”

“What do you want to do?” John asked her. 

Julie sighed knowing she couldn’t let this go. 

“I want to see him” she declared confidently. 

 

Chapter 8

 

“This is a bad idea guys,” Russell’s disapproving voice spoke in the car as they drove to Ely where Winthrop was being held in the maximum security prison there. 

“Then why are you here?” Julie asked him from the back seat “we can turn around right now and drop you off back in Vegas.” 

“No we are half way there,” John said from the drivers seat “I am not turning this car around!” 

Julie rolled her eyes and Russell fell silent. They had been fighting like this ever since she insisted on going to see Winthrop in prison two days ago. Russell did not spare her any of his reasons why she shouldn’t go, everything from the obvious “He put you in a coma” to the little details she forgot “He sent you a statue postmarked from your mother just to get your attention.”

But she refused to budge on her decision to go. She had given her reasons, all of which Russell rejected so she turned to John for help who supported her fully in her choice. When Russell heard they were planning to go to Ely together he insisted on going too. 

“I can’t stop you from seeing the creep,” he said “but I can at least be there to make sure he doesn’t hurt you.” 

So after making several phone calls with the warden and arranging the meeting with Winthrop from his hospital bed, they were on the road. 

It was a gorgeous day out. Julie had the window rolled down to feel the warm desert air and gentle breeze, soaking it all in, realizing that she almost lost it. Before she knew it they had arrived at the prison, passed through the security gates using their CSI badges, and were escorted to the prison hospital by a security guard. The warden was there waiting for them. 

“He’s all set,” he explained of Winthrop “take as long as you need, we’ll be watching.”

He indicated at the multiple security cameras surrounding the hospital floor they were on and inside the room where Winthrop was sitting up in bed, restrained to it for the meeting today.   
Julie took a deep breath, and looked at John who nodded encouragingly at her. 

“We’ll be right here if you need us,” he said.

Then she looked at Russell who could only shake his head in disbelief, astounded that she was still willing to go through this. But she knew he still supported her so with that confidence, she marched boldly into the room.   
Winthrop looked exactly as he had the last time she saw him, complete with the same cold, lifeless eyes. From what she read in the case file, she had fought him, leaving him with a few cuts and bruises but she had no memory of that. At least she fought. She had also read the moment when LVPD wounded Winthrop and how Russell refused to let him be treated until he told them where she was. 

“CSI Finlay,” Winthrop said in a calm collected tone “you got my message; it’s so nice to see you.” 

“Yeah real nice,” Julie snapped keeping her arms folded and hovering as far away from the bed as possible. 

“Don’t be shy,” Winthrop taunted her “sit down.”

“No way,” Julie said “I’m only here because you wanted to talk so cut the crap and start talking.”

“We got off to a bad start,” Winthrop said “I realize that now, my efforts to harm you were just a reflection of my anger towards my mother for abandoning Jared and I.”

“You only know that because Russell told you,” Julie said happy to have the upper hand in this conversation. 

“True,” Winthrop said “but that was no reason to hurt you.”

Julie couldn’t believe this. Was he actually showing remorse? Serial killers didn’t do that. This had to be part of his twisted logic. And she wasn’t going to fall for it. 

“So what, you want me to say I forgive you for beating the crap out of me?” she asked feeling shaky with anger “for leaving me to die in that car? For robbing me of life for a month?” 

“Well you seem fine now,” Winthrop said and she felt even angrier. 

“What you took from me I can never get back!” she snapped “memories that are only half there, a month I could have spent working to make sure you never leave this place, a month with my friends, you have no idea what that’s like!” 

“Do I?” Winthrop asked pulling at his restrains on the bed. 

“You deserve everything you got,” Julie said “we’re done here.”

She turned to leave but Winthrop called out “I want you to find my mother.”

Julie looked at him, stunned. 

“If you could just find her, I promise I will leave you alone,” Winthrop said in an almost desperate voice “I just need to know she’s o.k.” 

And now it occurred to Julie why Russell didn’t want her to read those files. He knew she would stop at nothing to find Winthrop’s mother. But if she found her, then he would get exactly what he wanted; by using Julie and the entire lab as his puppet. 

“No way,” she snarled “I’m not wasting any more time on you.” 

And she marched out of the room, head held high, back to John and Russell. She walked past them though, around the corner and out of sight from Winthrop and the security cameras. John and Russell followed her, stopping only when she froze in her tracks just outside the ward. 

“Jules, you o.k.?” Russell asked her.

She turned to look at him with a sad gaze and said “You were right, he was messing with my head, he knew I would try and find his mother and that’s why he called me here.”

“Well you will find her eventually,” John said “she’s part of this case, she needs to be questioned.”

“He’s right,” Russell said “we can’t stop looking for her, but we can make sure that when we find her, Winthrop won’t know about it.”

“He’ll know,” Julie said somberly. 

 

Chapter 9

 

It was Sunday. A week had passed since Julie woke up from the coma. It was the first Sunday she spent awake, out of the hospital and feeling more alive than she had in months. She was staring at her reflection in the mirror attached to her closet, surveying her outfit for the day; a flowery dress with high heels. When she felt she had achieved the right look, she went into the bathroom to curl her hair and put on makeup. She finished with her hair when someone knocked at her door. She didn’t jump or feel her heart race like before. She opened it casually knowing who would be there but smiling when she saw him anyway. 

“Wow,” John said when he saw her “you look great!” 

“Thanks,” she said smiling “so do you.”

She nodded at his suit and tie. 

“Is it too fancy for lunch?” John asked worriedly.

“No,” Julie said grinning at his worried look “it’s perfect.” 

She motioned for him to come inside while she grabbed her purse. She had her keys ready to lock the door but John stopped her.

“I have something for you,” he said handing her a little velvet box. 

“Oh you didn’t have to,” she said.

“I wanted to,” John insisted “go on, open it.”

Julie popped open the box and couldn’t help but gasp when she saw what was inside. It was an amethyst charm attached to a chain that sparkled when she held it up in the light.

“This is beautiful,” she said “thank you.”

“Did you know there are places where you can mine your own crystals?” John asked her reaching for the necklace. 

“I didn’t,” Julie said turning and pulling her hair aside so he could put the necklace on for her, feeling a shiver go down her spine when his hand brushed her hair back. 

“I found this little gem in a mine in Georgia,” John said of the charm on her necklace

“You found this?” she asked touching the charm gently.

“Dug it out of the dirt myself,” John said proudly. “Cleaned it up and had them set it for me.”

Wow, Julie thought this guy went to the ends of the earth to find her a gift, literally! 

“I love it,” she said feeling tears sting at her eyes. “And I love that you did that for me.”

“It’s a fascinating process,” John said “I did a story there a few years back, it’s amazing how they find these gems and make them into jewelry.”

“Well you’ll have to tell me all about it tonight,” Julie said thinking of their plans later “but we really should get going.”

“Of course,” John said. 

He helped her lock up and set her security system then they got in the car and headed to the restaurant. Nick was in town for the weekend from San Diego and was eager to see her as well as the rest of the team so they had all agreed to meet for lunch at a nice restaurant. As Julie suspected, she and John were the last to arrive but she made sure her necklace was easily visible for everyone to see and know how special it was to her.   
The hostess led them to their table where Russell, Nick, Sara, Greg, Morgan Hodges and Henry were waiting. 

“Hey, there she is,” Hodges said and everyone else let out a cheer.

They had taken to doing that whenever they saw her. It made her smile and her heart ache at the same time. 

“You guys don’t have to do that every time,” she said. 

“We kinda do,” Henry said justifiably. 

Julie smiled and spotted Nick now at the other end of the table. She went to him and he stood up to meet her halfway.

“Boy have I missed you,” he said hugging her “how are you doing?”

“Great,” she said “I heard about your job, I’m so happy for you.”

“It’s been great,” Nick said “I wasn’t planning on going last month while you were still in the hospital.”

“What?” she asked breaking the hug to stare at him. 

“Yeah,” Nick said “I couldn’t leave when one of my friends was hurt, but then Russell talked me into going, said you wouldn’t want me to miss out.”

“Of course not,” Julie said “it’s a great job Nick, and you’re perfect for it.” 

Their understanding was a sign of how well they knew each other after working together only three years. John pulled a chair out for Julie and they joined the table now. 

“Nice bling,” Morgan whispered to Julie eyeing her necklace. 

“Gift from John,” Julie whispered back and she, Morgan and Sara scooted closer together to talk about it. 

Russell watched Julie while she spoke about the necklace, thinking back to all that had led them to this moment. While most of it had been painful, it was conquering that pain that made them stronger. Despite the setbacks, he was proud to be a part of this team, this family. Once they ordered drinks, Nick stood up to make a toast. 

“I’ve said this before,” he began “but I love you guys, all of you, you’re my family, and even though we might not always be together, we’re there for each other, in good times and bad.”

“And Julie,” he continued “Jules, there are not enough words to express how happy I am that you’re o.k., you bring sunshine to the world and without you around then life is just sad, so thank you for being our sunshine, we love you Jules.”

“I second all that,” Russell said raising his glass.

“Time infinity,” Morgan added. 

Julie couldn’t stop smiling all afternoon. She truly felt blessed, surrounded by people who loved her, her team, John, it was more love than she knew what to do with. And while Winthrop may have taken a month of her life, she had better, stronger memories to fight that with and they were all around her. She won.


End file.
